Kindness of strangers

It's been a few days since brent/ash/Ginette bikes to Nehalem. Here is the latest:

We really enjoyed the day off, spending part of the day touring around cannon beach and part of the day swimming. Last part of the day enjoying another west coast IPA with bunny lebowski's toe.

After a long goodbye on the 7th, brent turned his bike north, heading back towards Astoria.  Ginette and the kids joined rene and huegette for the drive back to Surrey, vacation winding down. 

I arrived in ft Stevens state park and grabbed a hiker/biker camp spot for six dollars, free showers included! It was early so I rode into warrenton for dinner and some road essentials (soap, deodorant, instant coffee). Three cyclists had arrived and setting up next to me on return, nils and his two buddies from Olympia.  They were on day 3 of their trip to LA.
Interesting guys, mid-twenties, all forced from their home town of Santa Cruz due to sky-rocketing housing prices and rentals.  Nils said he knew of at least 20 people in his cohort that made a similar move.  A poor job market in Washington left them with a lot of time to play music and bike tour.  Talk about minimalist riding.... I watched them prepare dinner, rice, beans, soft tortillas, and an avocado.
No money, no employment prospects, no permanent housing, and they would stop talking about how great it was to be on a bicycle, enjoying the country.  I'm not overstating this, the simple joy they took in the ride, scenery, and company made me question a few things.

A new day and off to Bruceport where I would spend the night at the same campground I did a week ago.  But first, photos from the top of the Astoria bridge.

J

The miles were particularly difficult, strong winds, saddle sores, and fatigue are taking a toll. Still I carried on, lunch in seaview and finally the comfort of a scenic campsite. 

This morning started well. A good nights rest and cool fog should improve my riding.  Plus, I only had about 30 miles to ride to get to Aberdeen where I arranged accommodation using warmshowers.org. Unfortunately, my rear tire was flat and upon investigation I discovered a cut in the tyre. I swapped tyres with front and headed off, only to flat again 5 miles down the road.  That tyre needed to be replaced and I was long way from any bike stores. As I worked on the tyre (anyone with experience repairing a tyre using an air mattress repair kit?) at the side of the busy Hwy 101, help came in the form of a 1993 Toyota pickup, two seater with rear bench behind the seats.  

The driver, roughly my age,  asked if I was set, he was headed to Aberdeen and could offer me a lift.  Not trusting my patch job I accepted, threw my bike on the top of existing junk in the back and climbed onto the rear bench, chin resting on my knees. 

As I learned on the trip, the driver was taking his dad (passenger seat) up to a farm near Aberdeen. Every Sunday the driver would head from seaview where he worked as a seasonal chef to Aberdeen to take his daughter for breakfast.  The old man, maybe 80, held a marijuana pipe in his hand and offered me some as soon as I sat down.  He lived in Mexico but was up visiting for a few months.  "All the gringos are drunks in Mexico. " he told me. "All the Americans and Canadians are terrrible drunks."  "Except you dad" said the son. "Yep, I just smoke."  He offered me again.  

Interesting guys, the one dad trapped in seasonal labour so he could maintain a relationship with his daughter, his dad living the good life in Mexico.  "There are two types of gringos in Mexico. The rich, which is me, and the really really rich."

RV's and trucks and trailers all passed and then these guys come along, u-turn on the highway to make sure I'm ok and give me a lift.  I get the sense sometimes, in order to see someone in need, you need to have been there yourself. And if you've been there yourself, you know just how much a helping hand can get someone on their way. 

So I write from Aberdeen Starbucks, awaiting my warm showers host, trying to find an open bike shop.  If not today, maybe I'll find one tomorrow and keep heading north.